Release-rigging for car-couplings.



S. H. CONWELL.

RELEASE RIGGING FOR CAR COUPLINGS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20, I914.

Patented Dec. 21, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

s41. CONWELL. RELEASE RIGGING FOR CAR COUPLINGS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20, 1914.

Patented Dec. 21, 1915.

- 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITE STATE@ PATENT! SAMUEL I-I. CONVIELL, OF TARENTUIVI, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR 'IO WALTER P. MURPHY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BELEASE-RIGGING FOR GAR-COUPLINGS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 21,1915.

Application filed. February 20, 1914. Serial No. 819,982.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL H. CoNwnLL, a citizen of the United States, residing at 'l arentum, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Releaseltigging for (Jar-Couplings, of which the following in a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a release rigging for car couplers which may be operated by moving the operating handle downward or by swinging it in an arc, and with this and other objects in view my invention consists in the parts and combination of parts as will be more fully hereinafter set forth.

In the drawing :F igure 1 is a top plan view of the end of a car broken away with my improved rigging in position thereon; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same; Fig. 8 is an end elevation of the operating handle; Fig. t is a front elevation of the handle; Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the handle, a portion of the rock shaft being shown; Fig. ('3 is a perspective view of the operating handle, the rock shaft being shown in dotted lines; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the outer end portion of the rock shaft. Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail perspective view of the end of the pin operating crank of the rock shaft; Fig. 9 is a top plan and Fig. 10 a side elevation of the'end portion of the pin operating crank; Fig. 11 is an enlarged detail perspective view of the keeper; and Figs. 12 and 13 are side elevations of the end portion of the pin lifting lever showing other embodiments.

The reference numeral 1 designates a car of any approved pattern to which are secured brackets 2 and 3 in which the rock shaft 4 is journaled; said rock shaft having a deflection 5 to accommodate the brake staff 6, but it will be understood, of course, that this deflection 5 in the rock shaft is not necessary with some type of cars. The outer end portion of the rock shaft l is bent to form two cranks 7 and 8, while the extreine end of the rock shaft is offset as at 9 to prevent an inner endwise movement of the shaft as will be understood. The crank 7 is deflected outwardly and downwardly at an angle to the axis of the shaft while the crank 8 extends upwardly and rearwardly from the shaft at an angle thereto, the angles of the two cranks being substantially the same with reference to the rock shaft. lhe operating handle 9 has a crank 10 at its lower end, extending, when in position, outwardly toward the side of the car. lhe upper end of the handle 9 is rebent forwardly to form a hanger 11 by means of which the handle is suspended from the crank 7 on the rock shaft. The lower end of the arm 12 of the hanger being bent at right angles to form a lever 13, the inner end of said lever 13 being bent up at right angles as at ll and terminates in an eye 15 adapted to loosely engage the rock shaft and constituting another point of suspension of the handle on the rock shaft. Ihe inner end of the rock shaft terminates in a crank extending, when the lever is in position, forwardly from the car over the coupler and terminates in a forked or bifurcated end, the arms 16 of which terminate in an offset 17 the lower edge of which is rounded, as at 18, and merges into the lower edge of the arm, where there is an abrupt shoulder 19 between the upper edge of the offset 17 and the upper edge of the arm as more clearly shown in Fig. 8.

20 is a keeper provided with openings therethrough through which the arms 16 pass as the keeper isbeing placed in position on said arms. 21 is a key in the keeper through which the cotter pin 22 passes to secure the keeper on said arms, said key also passing through said arms.

23 is a portion depending from the outer portion of the offset 17 and constituting a shoulder.

24: is the pin lifter the lower end of which is constructed to engage the locking pin of the coupler. The upper end portion of the pin lifter passes between the arms 16 and terminates in a I head 25 which rests on the top of said arms back of the keeper 20.

In Fig. 12 I have shown the arms 16 terminating at their outer ends in a horn or return bend 26. 20 is the keeper, 22 the cotter pin and 2 F the pin lifter having the T head 25.

In Fig. 13 I have shown the outer ends of the arms l6 provided with lugs 27 constituting shoulders against which the keeper 2O bears. 22 is the cotter pin, and 24? the pin lifter having the I head 25 A downward movement of the operating handle will, by reason of its engagement with the crank 8, rock the shaft l and open g 1,1ee,ss1

ate the locking pin. When the handle is swung outward in an are its lever 13 enthe crank 7 and rocks the shaft 4 to operate the pin.

The object of the two cranks, or two throw cranks on the rock shaft is to obtain more lift to the lever 13 and to keep the handle from slipping of the crank. Such construction also facilitates the making of the hand operating lever.

The purpose of the hand or keeper 20 with the cotter pin running through it is to prevent the pin lifter as from being pulled out from between the arms 16. In case the cotter pin should become lost or broken the offset on the ends of th arms would prevent the keeper from slipping off. The different positions of the keeper, shown in dotted li es, show the course it would have to take to be removed from the arms after the removal of the cotter pin.

VJhile the construction shown in Fig. 13 will serve the purpose of preventing the keeper from accidentally jarring off of the arms, I prefer the construction shown in Figs. 10 and 12.

What I claim is:

1. In a release rigging for car couplers, a

rock shaft having two cranks, in its outer 2. In a release rigging for car couplers, a

rock shaft having two oppositely disposed cranks, an operating handle comprising a vertical member having at its upper end an open return bend, a substantially U-shaped bend at substantially right angles thereto, one arm of which terminates in a return bend adapted to engage the shaft beyond the said cranks; said open return bend being adapted to engage one of said cranks and said U-shaped bend being adapted to engage the other of said cranks.

3. In a release rigging for car couplers, a rock shaft connected at its inner end with the lock pin of the coupler, two oppositely disposed cranks formed in the outer end portion of said shaft, and an operating handle, hung from one of said cranks, and having an arm extending inwardly in rear of the other crank and adapted to engage the same.

4. In a release rigging for car couplers, a rock shaft connected at its inner end with the lock pin of the coupler, two oppositely disposed cranks formed in the outer end portion of said shaft, and an operating handle, hung from one of said cranks, and having an arm extending inwardly in rear of the other crank and adapted to engage the same; one end of said arm engaging the shaft beyond said other crank.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL H; CONVVELL.

Witnesses:

C. W. NICHOLAS, C. M. GoLDrNoEn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

